a minute before shaking her head in frustration. “No, you don’t understand. There’s a dragon. D-r-a-g-o-n. And it swooped so close to Brenda, it—”
“Oh my God. Emma Jones, you are so pathetic.” Brenda appeared holding a box of sonar gear, her hair looking remarkably un-dragon-ruffled. “Not only are you pretending you can see an invisible dragon that can break through our wards, but you’re trying to involve me in your delusions.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Emma stared at her. “Why would I pretend?”
“Oh, let me think. Hmm, now, why would the girl who is obsessed with following in her dead mom’s footsteps suddenly think she can see a dragon just days before the induction ceremony?”
“That’s not true.” Emma turned to Principal Kessler and shot him a pleading look. “I swear. I saw it. I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.”
“Really, so where is it now? And why didn’t anyone else see it?” Brenda retorted, and Emma twisted her head as she valiantly searched the skies. They were completely dragonfree.
“Okay, so I’m not quite sure where it went,” she was forced to admit before she turned to Principal Kessler and shot him another pleading look. “But it was definitely a dragon. It must’ve broken through the wards somehow.”
“Of course it did.” Brenda rolled her eyes. “Because that’s just so—”
“That’s enough,” Principal Kessler cut in as an angry scowl marched across his face and his pale blue eyes narrowed. “Brenda, you can get on the bus, and Emma, I can assure you that no elemental has ever broken through the wards, and if it had, the ops team would let me know.”
“But—”
“But nothing.” Principal Kessler cut her off. “I want you to continue with your assignment. Now.” Then, without another word, he climbed the stairs and signaled for the driver to start the engine.
“Wait—” Emma started to yell as the bus pulled away from the curb, but it was no good and she was forced to stand and watch it disappear out of the parking lot. Suddenly, there was a coughing noise behind her and she turned around to where Curtis was standing, leaning forward on his crutches. He had changed out of his uniform and wore a simple white T-shirt underneath a plain blue hoodie that stretched across his broad shoulders and seemed to make his tanned face look even tanner. He also had a very confused expression on his face.
“Um, Jones, did you just tell Kessler that you thought you saw a dragon on campus?” He knitted his brow.
“I did see a dragon on campus,” Emma corrected as she continued to scan the skies. Then she turned to him and let out a reluctant sigh. “Unfortunately, it’s gone now, and Kessler didn’t believe me.”
“But how is that even possible?” Curtis’s face went pale. “It’s daytime and we’re in a built-up area that is warded up to the eyeballs. Not exactly ideal party conditions for a dragon.”
“Thank you, but since I have studied dragon behavior for the last seven years and did actually grow up with one of the most famous slayers in the world, I do know that. However, I also know what I saw. It was a dragon. Why won’t anyone believe me?”
“Oh, I believe you. For the last five weeks you’ve done everything in your power to convince Kessler you should be the dragon slayer, so it doesn’t really make sense that you’d suddenly try and make him think you’re crazy.”
“Exact—” she started to say before Curtis’s words hit home. She frowned. “Okay, so it’s not ideal that Kessler now thinks that I’m crazy, but if we can track down this dragon, then he will realize I’m telling the truth,” she said before she noticed that Curtis was staring at her in disbelief. “What? Why are you looking like this is a bad idea? After all, you’re the dragon slayer. I thought you would be jumping at the chance.”
Curtis glanced down to his cast. “First, I’m not too hot in the jumping department right now. Second, I never track anything until I have my kit with me. And third, but most important, we’ve got an assignment to do.”
“Oh, please. I don’t think the world will stop if I don’t show you how to slay a fairy. In fact, I can’t believe you think a dumb assignment is more important than hunting this dragon. What kind of slayer are you?”
For a moment Curtis paused and looked like he wasn’t going to answer her. Finally, he spoke. “The kind who still